The Emporia weekly news. [volume] (Emporia, Kan.) 1881-1889, 1887-12-29
TERRIBLE SUSPENSE.

CHAPTER WI.
TERRIBLE SUSPENSE
But where were we while this train wns
dying toward usp Lying still on the side
4rack at the left hand of Kingston station,
those agonies OF suspense and intense al
formations Of hope and fear which were
harder to bear than all the exertions Of
Fuller and his compartment The local
freight train came as previously narrated,
and had drawn down the road to let the
extra follow it, and still give US room to
haul out above Long and tedious was
the waiting. But when we almost des-
paired the extra came. But alasl on this
train, also, was a red hagl On being
questioned as to the meaning Of another
train, the conductor said that there were
too many cars and too great load for one
engine, and that another section was made
mp, and would be along shortly. The de-
Lay Tor these two trains had already been
little less than an hour; and here was q
third train still blocking the road before
usi How Andrews wished that he had
taken the risk OF running ont in the face
Of the first extra and had tried to make,
ut least, the station abovel We could
easily have succeeded. But now, IN the
absence OF some telegraphic message-and
no report was made to that ONCE, while
Andrews hardly thought it prudent to tel
egraph for instructionsl-it would be mad
ness to run out between the two sections
Of q belated train. 1t was better to wait,
even II that entailed the risk Of fight.
For this possibility Andrews made ready;
he said to Knight:
''Go back and tell the boys, without
attracting attention, that we have to wait
for train that is behind time, and for
them to be ready TO jump at the signal, II
needed, and fight"
Knight sauntered carelessly along down
the train, Just as IL he was tired to death
with waiting and did not know what to
do with himself; and leaning against our
car, without turning his head or eyes
toward us, said in q low tone which we
heard perfectly:
'B0ys, we have to wait for a train that
Il q little behind time, and the folks
AROUND are getting mighty uneasy and
suspicious. Be ready TO jump out, II you
are called, and let them have it hot and
FAST
We did not know how many of the
''uneasy folks there might be about
and so unbearable had become the sus
pense Of being shut up in that dark car,
and hearing the sound of voices outside
without being able to distinguish the
words or know what was going on, that q
command to spring out and begin deadly
strife would have been welcomed as
relief, without much regard to numbers
We said we were ready; we had beer
ready at any time the last hourl Still We
carefully examined the printing of every
revolver, and saw that reserve ammuni
ton was in pockets within easy reach
We did not intend, IL it came TO . fight
TO shoot at long range, but to close rtgh
IN, where every shot would be deadly
That we could, with the surprise of AZ
unexpected assault, and firing each tim'
TO kill. have cleared the station Of foul
times our number, have never doubted
Could any situation DO imagined by poe
or novelist more trying than that OF thi
carload OF Union soldiers shut up in tn
midst of Confederate trains!
But we were not called upon to quie
the "uneasiness'' outside, (which was full
AZ great as Knight had described, in an
such summary manner. Andrews playe
his part with SURPRISING skill. The peopl
around, and especially the old switch ter
der, began to grumble something abou
being sure that all was not right. A goo
many questions were asked as to VIII
Fuller, with the regular train, was nc
along by this time, and why the superb
tendent of the road at Atlanta had ne
sent notice of the powder train. Andrew
answered each suggested question yer
briefly and plausibly, but without appeal
ing at all anxious about their opinion
Rrumbled q little about the bad manag
ment OF a road that would allow its trac
to be blocked at a time like this, and gay
accounts OF himself in the camp of Beaur
gard with an air so confident and truthfl
that no one ventured to question him.
think there was only one thing, asiC
from the dangerous delay, which he real
dreaded. He kept very near the tel
graph ONCE, and, without seeming to
80, closely watched the operator. The a
tempt to telegraph any kind OF a messal
up the line would have probably brougl
on an immediate collision.
Brown relates a curious little episode
occurring here. He noticed man WI
watched Andrews for q short time, al
then, when no one else was near, steps
close to him and handed him q large al
seemingly well filed envelope. Andrew
smiled and placed it in his vest poke
Brown intended to ask about it, but mo
pressing business put 1t out of his min
Probably this was an incident Of Andrew
contraband trade, and the package co
tanned an order for goods, with the mon
to pay for them.
Fuller and his party were now not MAJ
miles away, and were making more rap
time toward us than had ever been ma
on that road before. But we knew not
ing OF that-supposed that we were st
an hour ahead of any pursuit that cou
be imagined. We had been at this pls
one hour and i've minutesl 1t seemed
those shut mp in the box car nearer hall
dayl and when the whistle of train "
heard, which fortunately for us was d
from the north-not the pursuing tr'
from the south-it was about as welco'
as the boom of Mitchel's cannon, W
which we expected to be greeted IN
evening when our work was done. I
last extra came up to the platform as
others had done, and was at once orde
by Andrews TO draw on down the n
that we might have room to 60 out.
conductor obeycd without hesitation, 1
this obstruction was removed
1t only remained to adjust the switch
that we might again get on the NJ
track. This Andrews directed the
switch tender to do, but he had b
getting In q worse and worse humor
the whole of the last hour; he had b.
up his keys, and now roughly decla
that he would not take them down &C
until Andrews showed him by what
thority he was ordering everybody at
as II he owned the whole roadl We
were shut up in the box car heard
loud and angry voice, snd supposed
thu time for Us to act had GOMEZ YET
waited for our leaders command q
remembered how he had counseled
against being too precipitate- But
only laughed softly as II the anger OF
old man amused him, and saying
have no more time to waste with you,
walked into the station, to the l
where he had Reen the keys put up,
taking them down. went quietly
swiftly out and made the change him
The tenders wrath knew no bound